The present invention relates to a method for closing a cable, such as a cable splice closure or a cable sheath repair, and the resultant cable closing.
Electrical cables, such as telephone cables, commonly have an outer waterproof sheath surrounding the insulated conductors. Discrete lengths of cable are spliced together by electrically connecting the individual conductors in adjacent cable ends to form a continuous length of cable. The splice is then typically enclosed in a waterproof closure to prevent water from entering the cable at the splice. Breaks in the cable sheath caused during installation or in reaccessing the cable must also be repaired to prevent water from entering the cable. Both cable splices and cable sheath repairs are herein referred to as electrical cable closings.
Cable splice closures typically consist of a hard outer shell into which is poured a hardenable compound. Cable sheath repairs are frequently made with a heat shrink tape or sleeve that covers the damaged area of the cable sheath and is heat shrunk into place to provide a watertight closure. The hard outer shell of the typical splice closure is preferred because it protects the closure against damage, for example when the cable and closure are placed in a trench and covered up with rocks and dirt. However such hard outer shells must be stocked in several sizes to cover the typical range of cables in use and special provisions must be made for cable openings that are unusually long.
Electrical cable closings utilizing a cloth that is impregnated with a resin at the time of application are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,656,258; 3,127,291 and 3,203,544. Since the resin is to be applied in liquid form to the cloth at the time of use, such systems would be messy and difficult to use and they have not found practical utility.
Cloth materials impregnated with water-activatable resins are known for use in creating a hard outer shell, such as a protective cast for a broken arm or leg as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,262 and Canadian Pat. No. 1,151,960. Such materials have not, however, previously been used as a part of an electrical cable closing.